Burial apparatus.



No. 796,577. PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905.

s. W. HOAG, DBGD.

M. HOAG, ADMINISTRATRIX.

BURIAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00127, 1904.

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ANDREW, s. Gamm co, Hom-umqnawnzns, wAswrmrun L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

MINA HOAG, OF GRAND ISLE` VERMONT, ADMINISTRATRIXv OF SETH W. HOAG, DEOEASED.

BURIAL lAPPARATUSl To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MINA I-IoAG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Isle, in the county of Grand Isle and State of Vermont, administratrix of the estate of SETH WARNER I-IoAG, deceased, late a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Isle, in the county of Grand Isle and State of Vermont, do hereby declare that said SETH WAR- NER HOAG did invent a new and useful Burial Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to burial apparatus.

In operating casket-lowering devices such as are in common use it is the practice generally to place the case upon the straps or tapes of the apparatus and then by hand deposit the casket within the case, after which the two are lowered into the grave. This procedure is objectionable, inasmuch as more or less confusion ensues in handling the casket, aside from the unnecessary labor entailed upon the attendants. I t is also customary to lower the case into the grave and then with the use of the apparatus to lower the casket to position and afterward position the lid upon the case. This is also abjectionable for the reason that it is often impossible to eifect a secure fastening of the lid to the case.

It is the object of the present invention in a ready, simple, thoroughly-feasible and practical manner to obviate the above objectionable features attending burials, to reduce the labor incident to such occasions to a minimum, and so far as possible to eliminate unnecessary handling of the case and casket, which is a source of great annoyance and even of horror to many people.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a burial apparatus, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, there are illustrated two forms of embodiment Vof the invention each capable of carrying the same into practical operation.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in side elevation exhibiting the apparatus in operative position over a grave. Fig. 2 is a view Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 7, i904. Serial No. 227,563.

Patented Aug'. 8, 1905.

in vertical transverse section through the case and lowering apparatus, the casket be.- ing shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of a portion of the device forming the present invention. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a slightly-modiiied form of a part of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View exhibiting the mode of operation of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, l designates generally the lowering apparatus, which may be of any preferred construction and is provided with the usual straps or tapes 2, the unwinding of which is controlled through the medium of a brake-lever 8. As the construction of the lowering device forms no part of the present invention and as the improvements of the present invention are applicable to any form of lowering device, detailed illustration of such part is deemed unnecessary.

The present invention resides in combining with the lowering device a supplemental means for effecting lowering of the casket into the case as the latter is being lowered into the grave. This attachment consists of two straps or tapes 4, near each terminal of which is disposed a double loop 5, carrying a hooked tongue 6, the terminal of which is sharpened to bite into the wood of the case. These straps, through the medium of the double loops 5, are rendered adjustable thus to fit any size case that may be employed. The straps are combined with the sides of the lowering device in any preferred manner, as by the employment of loops 8, stapled or otherwise secured to the device, or byloops 9, oombined with the sides of the lowering device by straps l0, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the use of the device the lowering apparatus is positioned over the grave, as shown in Fig. 2, and the case B is placed upon the straps 2. The straps 4 are then positioned by engaging one of the hooks with the upper edge of one side of the case, then passingthe strap through one of the loops 8, thencarrying the strap across the case and through the other loop S, and then engaging the other hook with the upper edge of the other side of the case. This is done, of course, at both ends of the case, and the straps are drawn as tight as requisite and the casket C is then placed upon the straps. The operator then manipulates the brake-lever 3, thereby permitting the drums upon which are stored the tapes 2 to revolve and pay out the same, and the case is lowered into the grave, its rate of descent being readily controlled by the lever. During this operation the free portions of the straps 4-that`is to say, those portions passing over the upper edges of the case and along secured, attention is called to the diagrammatic view, Fig. 5, in which the circle X represents one of the drums upon which the tapes 2 are wound, and the circle Y the case, the proportion between these two circles being as one to two-that is to say, if the circle X be twelve inches in diameter the circle Y will be twenty-four inches in diameter. lt will be seen from this that when the drum X makes one complete revolution it will pay out twelve inches of tape, while at the same time twenty-four inches of the straps 4 will be paid out, thus doubling the rate of descent of the casket relatively-to the case. When the casket is seated within the case, the operator then stops the descent of the case, unhooks the straps 4, and removes them and then properly positions the cover upon the case, after which the case is lowered to the bottom of the grave and the straps 2 removed in the usual or any preferred manner.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that to apply the improvements of the present invention to an ordinary lowering device will require no change whatever in its structural arrangement other than the provision of the loops 8 and staples 1l, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or as shown in Fig. 4 by the provision of the loops 9 and straps 10.

The attachment being exceedingly simple in construction may be readily adopted and will be found in a practical manner to fill a long-felt want.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed isl. A burial apparatus embodying case and casket lowering mechanisms operable at different rates of speed.

2. A burial apparatus embodying case and casket lowering mechanism, the latter mechanism operating at a greater rate of speed' than the former.

3. A burial apparatus embodying case and casket lowering mechanisms operable at different rates of speed, and means coacting with one of the mechanisms to control the operation of the other.

4. In a burial apparatus, the combination with a lowering device, of straps provided with adjustable hooks for engaging the edges of the casket-case.

5. ln a burial apparatus, the combination with a lowering device having straps for supporting a casket-case, of independent straps connected with the lowering device and with the casket-case for supporting the casket thereover.

6. In a burial apparatus, the combination with lowering-straps and means for paying out the same, of a second series of straps combined with the lowering device, and adapted automatically to be paid out by the descent of the casket and case into the grave.

7. A burial apparatus embodying in a single structure, means for lowering a casketcase into the grave, and means operating automatically to lower a casket into the case.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as the invention of SETH W. HOAG l have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MINA HOAG, Admnistmtria: of the estate of Seth W. Hoag,

deceased.

Vitnesses:

VARREN F. PARKS, LEONA C. PARKS. 

